His iPad is a constant whirl of activity.
Dan Ollis keeps the device handy for communication on the fly. As president of a buzzing coffee company with 122 employees, he’s often on the go, making the front seat of his black Chevy Tahoe his mobile office.

Shellfish season for delectable Dungeness and red rock crab begins July 3 around Whidbey Island.
Marine areas 8-1, 8-2 and 9 — all of the waters surrounding the island — open to recreational harvest Thursdays through Mondays each week through Sept. 1.

Turns out that sailing is a popular pastime on South Whidbey.
Years of offering children’s classes expanded into adult classes last year, and often both were full. This year, the adult classes that began June 10 had spots available. Less-than-filled courses didn’t stop the South Whidbey Yacht Club, which runs the program through the South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District, from offering a four-session class for veterans in early June.

They’re after me. It’s true. This is no joke. They read my column last week or something because the little devils know, and they are after me.
Now I must admit that nothing has actually happened yet. In fact, our exchanges have been all too brief, but I fear confrontation may be a foregone conclusion as sightings are increasing by the day.

Editor,
I must honestly admit that I would deeply regret the loss of my view if Mr. Francisco’s plans for First Street become a reality. I live here, and I don’t use that phrase lightly. This is my home and I know that I’m one of the luckiest people in the world to have such a beautiful one. But I would be concerned about such a radical change to the character of First Street even if I was only a neighbor.

Editor,
I attended the opening night performance of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, or WICA. I went merely as a self-imposed obligation to friends in the cast and because I have great respect for the director, Tim Rarick.

Island County residents, organizations and businesses were honored this month as recipients of the Linda Lee Martens Memorial Community Health Hero award.
The Island County Board of Health convenes annually with the Community Health Advisory Board to honor the recipients that are selected out of a pool nominated by the community.

A rash of mail thefts has occurred on South Whidbey in recent weeks, the Island County Sheriff’s Office has announced.
According to an email alert sent out by Island County Sheriff Mark Brown, thefts have been reported island-wide, but have been concentrated on the South End. The thieves may be targeting specific mail, he warned.

Editor,
This is letter is about Mr. Freeman’s gun-inspired anger. Yes, the U.S. “has become even more awash with guns,” especially since the present administration took office, but homicide rates have declined even as the total supply of guns has increased.
Notwithstanding Mr. Freeman’s paranoia about guns, mass shootings contribute a relatively small fraction of gun deaths — and result in massive news coverage. Northeastern criminology professor James Alan Fox: “… there has been no increase in mass shootings and certainly no epidemic.”

With the plaza complete, Second Street is open for parking and traffic, though it looks a bit like a tamed Wild West until the striping of lanes and parking spaces is finished this week, weather permitting.
Langley Director of Community Planning Jeff Arango said the construction crew needs at least 24 hours of no rain to line the street. Tables and benches for the plaza — a raised, wide crosswalk designed to use visual cues for drivers to pay attention — between Callahan’s Firehouse and the South Whidbey Commons should arrive soon.

South Whidbey boys basketball coach Scott Collins recently resigned after one year leading the Falcons.
In his second stint with South Whidbey, Collins’ squad finished 4-10 in Cascade Conference games and 6-17 overall. Collins previously coached for two years before resigning in 2009 because of the commute from his home in Burlington to his teaching job at Oak Harbor High School, then coaching at South Whidbey.

The Navy has decided to base six P8-A squadrons at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island at the close of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement this month.
The Navy weighed two alternatives during the SEIS process and chose the option to base six fleet squadrons at NAS Whidbey and six fleet squadrons plus the replacement squadron at Jacksonville Naval Air Station in Florida.

South Whidbey High School’s girls soccer program needs a junior varsity/assistant head coach.
After two years of Ben Rusch leading the program with the aid of Jane Gerlach, she decided to step away from the team. Those interested in the position can contact South Whidbey High School Athletic Director Kelly Kirk at 360-221-6808, ext. 5408.

Nary a hand was raised in favor of the Dog House Tavern’s owners’ rights to tear down the century-old building at the Langley City Council hearing Monday.
Hardly any opinions were entered into the record at the mandatory public hearing about the city’s emergency ordinance. Last month, in response to Dog House owners Charlie and Janice Kleiner’s inquiry about the process to take down the First Street building, Langley’s planning director and mayor supported a six-month demolition moratorium. The temporary ban specifically targeted the Dog House Tavern as one of the only buildings qualified as being on the National Register of Historic Places and located within the downtown area.